Super talented Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy is a hot favourite for the Golden Slipper and the powerhouse bay justified the lofty opinion of punters when cruising to victory in the $300,000 Group II ATC Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the colt was having his first run since January 13 when he won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and was ridden for the first time by James McDonald, who partnered him in a recent trial win.
Storm Boy jumped well enough from gate one and surged through to lead, controlling the race and forging clear to win by a length and a half with his stablemate Prost, a last start winner of the Listed ATC Canonbury Stakes, finishing off well for second.
Adrian Bott was relieved after the win and now it’s full steam ahead to the Golden Slipper and beyond with the Triple Crown races – G1 ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and G1 ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m) also well and truly on the radar.
“It’s always a little bit nerve wracking when these high profiled horses come back off that quick turn around and a big trip away,” said Adrian Bott.
“He did enough today and we’ve left some improvement to come.
“He’s a lovely style of horse with plenty of gears and has a great high cruising speed. He looked in full control from the outset and then he can find more levels and keep quickening off that.
“This will tighten him up nicely for the Golden Slipper, but we’ve got big targets after that with the Triple Crown and I’d like to think he’s only going to be better suited getting out to 1400m and a mile, so it’s very exciting for everyone involved.”
A $460,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore draft as agent for Morning Rise Stud, Storm Boy runs for an ownership group that is now headed by the Coolmore partners, who bought into the colt after his Magic Millions victory in January.
Storm Boy has now won four races from four starts earning just shy of $2.2million.
Bred by Rob and Barb McClure of Morning Rise Stud and Coolmore partners, he was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the first foal from Pelican, a metro juvenile winner by champion sire Fastnet Rock from NZ Horse of the Year and seven time Group I winner Seachange.
Coolmore as agent for Morning Rise sold the second foal from Pelican, a colt by Pierro at Magic Millions this year and he will also be trained by Gai and Adrian after they purchased him for $375,000.
Pelican has foaled again this spring producing a filly by St Mark’s Basilica (FR) and is now back in foal to Justify.
